Before being called to something, we are called to Someone. Before we are called to do, we are called to be. Our primary calling is to be in a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that God has called us into fellowship with his Son. God created us and knows our strengths, weaknesses, dreams, and fears. In spite of our imperfections, God loves us perfectly and completely. He wants us close to him. He calls us to belong to him.--From Chapter 1 of Live Your Calling, “In Search of a Calling”

Your Most Important Calling

You are called to a personal relationship with the God who created you. The only way to find the ultimate purpose of your life is by responding to God's call to enter into a personal relationship with him. In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren says:

You were made by God and for God-and until you understand that, life will never make sense. It is only in God that we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny. Every other path leads to a dead end. God created you and accepts you-no matter what you have ever done or failed to do.

God loves you with an everlasting love and has a wonderful purpose for your life-for now and all of eternity. Jesus said, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” (John 10:10).

Our Human Dilemma

Separated from God by sin, we are like an electric light bulb whose cord has been cut in half and thus is disconnected from the power source. The Bible tells us that we all have sinned and “fallen short” of God’s standard (Romans 3:23). Sin means, “missing the mark,” and includes both things we do and those we fail to do. Sin has its own negative consequences which include missing our calling, spiritual death, and, ultimately, eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). We cannot respond to God’s love on our own. We need his help to “repair” our brokenness, restore the power connection, and make us whole.

God’s Gracious Solution to Our Dilemma

God loves us so much that he provided a solution for our predicament. He sent his own sinless Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from the consequences of our sin (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus Christ died on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins. He suffered the consequences of our sin, paying with his life to ransom us from eternal death. Speaking about himself, Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Through Jesus, we can be “re-connected” to God and experience the life for which we have longed. Jesus Christ is God’s provision for our sin. He provides the only way to have our relationship restored with God. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). God offers us the gifts of his forgiveness for our sins, a personal relationship with him, the opportunity to fulfill the purpose for which we were created, and eternal life in his kingdom. These gifts can be ours because Christ paid the price for our sins. He calls you to belong to him. If you have not yet responded to his call, here is how you can do so:

First, confess your sins to God, and ask him to forgive you. Tell God you are sorry for your sins, and that you want to turn from sinful ways to follow him.

Second, believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, and receive the gift of an eternal relationship with God.

If you are ready to respond to God’s calling to enter into a personal relationship with him and experience the life for which you were created, we invite you to pray the following prayer:

Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and ask for your forgiveness. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for my sins. Right now, I respond to your call to receive your gift of eternal life and freedom from sin. I commit my life and all the gifts, abilities and resources that you have given to me to your service. I want to start living the purpose for which you created me. Thank you for dying for my sins, for your free pardon, for your gift of eternal life, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Amen.

God’s Great Assurance

If you prayed the prayer to invite Jesus Christ into your life and truly meant it, you are now a Christian! God has given you the gift of a new spiritual life as well as eternal life. You are now a child of God and a member of his family. The Bible tells us that you are now a “new creation: the old has gone, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).*

Your new life in Christ needs to be nurtured for optimal growth. If you prayed the prayer above, asking Jesus to be your Savior and Lord, we want to help you grow in your relationship with God. Use the form below to tell us about your decision and we will provide you with a free study designed for new Christians.

"YES, I have prayed and asked Jesus Christ into my life as Savior and Lord, and am eager to learn more about the Christian life."

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* This message was adapted from material by Dick Innes (www.actsweb.org). Used by permission.